The Aftermath
by DragonballAP
Summary: Like Alice in Wonderland, a young woman named Sonya stumbles into a world so unlike her own—a science fiction nightmare. She struggles to understand her new surroundings and limitations in a secluded existence in the woods among a house of genetically modified beings.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1: Into the Kane Mansion

Sonya awoke completely disoriented and dizzy upon what appeared to be the floor of the cabin. Thick black smoke burned her throat and emerald eyes as she lifted her head to gaze around at her flaming demise. Fire lapped the walls and rollover flames fanned across the ceiling in a beautifully horrific display. Was this Hell? Her head spun, making her nauseous. Her shoulder twisted with excruciating pains as she attempted to crawl across the cabin floor to the door that was straight ahead. To her, a mere few feet seemed like miles. She moved slowly, but as quickly as she could manage, one knee in front of the other, one hand in front of the other. The pain in her shoulder from a gunshot was nearly paralyzing as it shed a continuous stream of blood. It had soaked the sleeve of her black shirt and dripped down her hand onto the wooden floor in a small trail. The whole right side of her face throbbed from an empty pistol whip. It was so damaged her right eye was nearly swollen shut. Her nose and lip also both leaked crimson.

Suddenly over the roar of the raging hellish flames an eerie creek could be heard above her. Before she had time to move out of the way, a piece of timber came crashing down upon her legs. The floor became speckled at once, littered also with wood splinters, for the beam had fallen at an angle and busted through the floor. Her scream sliced through the thick air and it was here that she was sure she was meant to die, for she had been rendered immobile.

Just then, the door slammed open, revealing a heavenly light beyond. At first she thought it was one of her attackers returning to finish her off, but the way the figure moved was different. It was strange the manner in which it looked as if it had simply glided over to her very side. By now Sonya could feel no pain. The fire that had burned once in her eyes was leaving as she began to surrender her struggle for life. Her breath began light and her vision dark as her heart beat slowed dramatically. The roar of the flames and the creeks of the cabin fell silent, bringing only silence to her ears.

From her unexpected slumber, wherever she was now was too peaceful to panic. The bed she lay upon was covered with white silk sheets that flowed onto the chestnut floors. The room was bright for the balcony doors to her left were open. The parted curtains were also white silk and swayed halfway across the room in the breeze. She could see the beautiful blue of the sky beyond and was beginning to wonder if she had been brought to heaven. Directly in front of her was a white marble fireplace. It was framed with gold and set a calm theme in the room. Finally to her right were two single white doors and a set of white double doors.

She noticed the double doors must have been a closet and that the closest single door, lead to a bathroom. It was open and she could see the gleam of the marble sink beyond. There were no door handles. Instead there were buttons next to each door. Everything looked so futuristic. Her head whirled. Where was she? Also where were her clothes? Her black long sleeved shirt and jeans had been replaced with a blue sun dress. She quickly got out of bed only to gasp and scream in delight and horror. Her legs! Her mind was in a state of panic as she collapsed back on to the white silk sheets. She observed them carefully, poked them with her fingers and felt their warmth. She pulled her dress up past her thigh and inspected them for stitches or scars, but there wasn't a scratch to be found, in fact, her birthmark was still in tack on the back of her thigh. She then put a hand upon her cheek searching for the place in which she had been struck with an empty pistol out of desperation. There was nothing to be found.

She hopped out of the bed once again and slowly headed to the bathroom, still unsure of her legs across the wooden floors. Once her bare feet were upon the white tiles, she gazed in the oval mirror above the sink for a long period of time. The mirror's light shined brightly upon her face a result of motion sensors. Nothing appeared different about her. Her skin was still light and her cheeks still remained their usual soft pink. Her lips were a slight darker shade of pink in comparison. They were no longer busted to her amazement. Her calm dark green eyes were free of their usual circles from her restless nights of worry. Even her curly brown hair was neat and kempt. This had to be heaven. She had no aches or pains from the situation she had been in, but knew very well that it hadn't been dreamt of nor imagined. She walked from the bathroom and to head towards the second door.

She pressed the button beside it and the door slid open to the side. Into a long corridor she waltzed, amazed at its length and how many other rooms were along it. With such height the walls made it feel less trapped. The paint was cream colored and the doors were wooden. Above her head upon the wall, futuristic scotches lit the way. In the center of the corridor Sonya noticed there were small black round objects upon the ceiling which she assumed were cameras. She had no idea where she was to go, for not a single person was in sight. She ended up pacing the soft red carpeted corridor twice. It had yellow lines which crossed, forming diamond shapes, and it was fragranced with carpet freshener.

She wondered if it was polite to knock on the wooden doors or not. When all hopes seemed lost her eyes fell upon a little girl who had appeared feet away from her. Perhaps she had come from a room? The beautiful little girl looked to be at least ten years old, and took off in freight in the other direction. "Excuse me!" Sonya said politely darting after her. Her legs felt stronger than before, but the young girl was still very quick and hard to keep up with. The way the girl moved was almost ghost like. Was this a part of Sonya's imagination too? It sent shivers down her spine, but she still chased after the girl in hopes she held some answers for her. "Please! I don't know where I am!"

Her streak of white blonde hair streamed behind her, and she made an unexpected turn into a room somewhere towards the end. Sonya was too far away to see which door exactly it was that she entered and slowed her pace. She hesitated before she opened the second to last door then quietly pressed the button to open it.

Her eyes slowly moved from the chestnut floors to a very stormy scene ahead. A man who wore a black vest over a burgundy blouse with loose, black dress pants, stood before a woman. Sonya couldn't see his face, only the back of his short, blonde-haired head. As for the woman, she had long, straight, black hair, darkened brown eyes, and messy rouged lips. A pile of clothes were clearly beneath the man's feet that stood before her. His spiked cufflinks stuck out at his sides with his hands on the woman's sun kissed, yet purple splotched legs that were wrapped around his waist. Sonya was sure the woman was going to look up and see her at any moment from her sitting position on the desk, but she appeared intoxicated for her eyes were glassy. Quickly without any further observations, Sonya took to her leave, hoping she hadn't been noticed and wishing she could forget the whole thing.

It was definitely the other door. She pressed the button and began to run into another room, but in it was a winding staircase that she nearly tumbled down. She grabbed onto the black iron railing to catch herself then continued down the stairs with a bit more caution. Small lights lined the edges of the stairs like those of a movie theatre. They almost seemed as if they went on forever. At the end of the stairwell she found herself in a new setting that appeared to be a basement. She stopped her chase as the young girl disappeared into the darkness of the room. Once her eyes adjusted, it was clear what was before her.

She could see the perfect outline of a man's figure that only stood twenty feet from her, a towering six feet six inches. Sonya saw with horror as the man turned his attention to the girl, for his eyes flashed in the dark like that of a wolves. She wanted to scream. She wanted to run, but suddenly she felt his eyes on her.

The man knelt beside the girl, tilting his head with a questionable gesture as he put his hand under her chin. His deep mysterious voice was barely audible and obviously what was said wasn't meant for her to hear. With his hand still under the girl's chin, he moved her gaze towards her. "This is my niece, Fay." He dropped his hand from Fay's chin, and she rested her head against his chest, wrapping her arms around his torso. It was quiet for a long moment. It seemed as if they were having an undetectable conversation. Before Sonya knew it, the little girl had gone and now the man stood once again. His eyes locked on her. Or was it her?

"Son, please show our guest around." He nodded once. Obviously there was someone behind her. The man turned his back to her and vanished from sight deeper into the darkness. Why were the lights off? How could he see where he was going? The knot in her throat began to leave.

"It's a pleasure to meet you." His voice chimed low, but lively. Sonya turned to face him. He stood beside the lit spiral staircase with his back against the frame, giving off a memorable silhouette. His arms were crossed and his right foot was propped up on the frame as well. "Shall we?" He gestured toward the stairwell.

As they climbed their ascent Sonya continuously eyed the boy suspiciously. He was only a few inches shorter than her, about thirteen or fourteen years old. The boy had a peaceful look to him. His features were soft and welcoming, but his stifling blue eyes so bright, were like ice. His short black hair intensified them, but complemented his pale complexion as well as his black button up and grey dress pants. He smelt of faint cologne, a soft and pleasant fragrance.

He quickly got a side glance at her with his dark circled eyes. They were so dark she thought he was wearing makeup. "What are you looking at?" he questioned not in a completely rude manner. Sonya looked down. She wanted to ask him so many questions, but she didn't know where to start. "Sorry. You probably don't know what's going on right now," his eyes fell upon her. They seem to have liquefied. She could tell he wasn't used to visitors. "My name is Conan. That was my father Malachi, and my cousin Fay."

"It's nice to meet you…" was all she could really reply at the moment. It still didn't feel real that she was there.

He smiled his perfect smile revealing his radiant white teeth as he raised his left eye brow. "Let me show you around the place. You'll be staying with us for a few weeks while you recover." Sonya looked down at herself, but she was healed. Wasn't she? Before she could even ask, he spoke. "Other than physically, you need to recover mentally. My father is an amazing doctor who knows best."

"So why were you in that old dirty abandoned cabin anyway?" Conan asked her randomly as they went about their way, finishing the stairwell. They went back down the lengthy red corridor to another stairwell on the opposite end.

"I didn't think anyone cared," she told him.

He swiped a side glance at her. "In a restricted area that was clearly private property?"

They turned to their rights and walked in silence for a few moments until Sonya spoke up again. "I've always gone to that abandoned cabin since I was a little girl. I believed it was my club house and after all these years I never thought anyone cared. So even as an adult, I kept going just to get away."

They then walked into a nicely furnished living room. The floors were wooden and above a dual sided fireplace was a flat screen television. Sonya noticed this had to be the only room with a television in it, she didn't find that the main attraction though. A large picture-more like a mural behind her of the entire Mansion was painted on a huge canvas. She got one last look at the mural and a glimpse of other furniture, such as a brown velvet couch and recliner, and followed him out of an adjacent door. "This is the main living room." Conan pointed out. The wooden floors went well with the black and silver theme. There was a black leather couch and a black marble fireplace, which served as the other side to the dual fireplace. It had a silver framing, but black wasn't the reason she liked the room. It was the magnificent piano. Its glossy black paint gleamed in the light from the enormous chandelier above.

Conan sat down at the piano and she followed, sitting down beside him. He started with some simple keys.

"Do you play?" he asked with a smile, seeing her enthusiastic face.

"I haven't in years, but I loved to play when I was younger." She smiled back, remembering her mother had taught her. She missed her and as a little girl she had taken much after her. She loved to garden, cook, and help Kimberly out around the house. She could always remember and imagine the fragrances of the candles her mother used to burn, and would never forget all the children she helped her mother watch, for she ran a day care center many years ago. Unfortunately she had passed away from diabetic shock. As for her father, she had never known him. Her older brother Keith was left in charge of caring for her. Up until this point, they rented an apartment together.

Sonya sighed with a sudden question racking her brain. "What's your mother's name?"

Conan had gone from simple single notes to complicated combinations of keys. It turned into a pretty melody as an annexed expression came over his face.

"I don't have a mother." He finally answered and stopped playing. Sonya looked confused. Why had he worded it like that? Maybe he never knew his mother.

"I'm sorry," she replied. He picked up his melody again, playing it slow at first then fast. She had never heard anything so beautiful since her mother's playing. She sat quietly and listened to the calming tunes Conan played for her. For a moment her mind had gone blank soaking up every note he played until her eyes fell upon a bouquet of black roses. Their stems and leaves were blood red, but their thorns were black like the petals. They sat in a vase on a small table in the corner of the room. They looked so real, but that couldn't be possible. She stood, curiosity getting the best of her once more, and walked to the vase.

Conan's music had come to an abrupt stop. "Please don't…" Before he could finish his sentence her fingers gingerly grazed the black rose petals. They were real.

"I'm sorry," she whispered. Conan sighed.

"It's ok. They're just unstable and touching them shortens their life span." Sonya turned to Conan. "Once you get it right all the bushes need is sugar water. You cut them a certain way and handle them with gloves."

"You made these?" she asked.

"My uncle did, but my father doesn't appreciate his work. He doesn't really like the whole idea of genetic engineering." Sonya looked back to the living roses she hadn't touched. The more she thought about it the more she detested the idea of manipulated roses too. Though they were pretty, she knew their true natural looks had been defaced and distorted. The words, _genetic engineering,_ kept ringing in her mind. "We should probably move on." Conan finally broke the silence after reading the look on her distraught face.

They went to the next set of doors in the room. Within the dining room was a large table. It was a typical dining room. The black table was already set with amazingly fine china. The crystal clear cups glistened along with the elegant silverware. Conan laughed, pulling out a red cushioned chair at the table.

"Would you like some tea and crumpets?" He asked overly formal. Sonya laughed at him and sat down at the opposite end of the long table. She had picked up on his sarcasm.

"Yes, my kind sir."

"Honestly we never eat in here. It's just for looks except for when we have important guests over, or on holidays." He added. "I don't even know what a crumpet is," he snickered, getting up. He gestured toward another door further down from the one they had entered. Sonya stood, but he only shook his head. "This is the door to the kitchen. You'll never need to lift a finger in here. You can check it out though, if you want." He opened the door to allow her to gaze in.

Her eyes sparkled. It was the biggest kitchen she had ever seen, but the only down side about it was that it was extremely modern, too modern for her liking with all the silver and chrome appearing appliances. A few cooks were at work preparing dinner. "You will rarely ever need to go in here. Just sit down at the table when you're hungry and they'll come," he said pointing to the camera in the corner. He briskly walked into the entrance of the dining room. Sonya followed him back into the main living room and looked at the entrance. "CAIN" was etched into the glass of the silver framed double doors, though it read backwards at the moment being inside. "Would you like to go outside for a bit? It's nice out." Sonya nodded, overjoyed. She could finally get to see the mural on the wall come to life.

Outside, as the sun, which peaked behind trees, hit her shoulders she realized just how cold being in the mansion had really been. She took a deep breath of fresh air. The scent from a nearby lilac bush filled her nose along with the smell of grass. Birds chirped gleefully among themselves, probably discussing the weather.

Sonya opened her closed eyes tracing every scent and sound to its source. Lilac bushes were left and right. She then turned to look at the grey mansion, but all that her eyes could see was the transparent glass door. She fell on her knees in awe and cupped her mouth with her hand with her heart thudding in her chest.

"Are you going to be alright?" he asked looking at the wildlife and nature as it completely surrounded them.

"How…" she asked reaching her hand out beside the door. She felt that there was in fact a structure there, but she couldn't see it. She could feel its shingled exterior as well as the doorframe.

"Is a cloaking mechanism," he explained to her, "to hide us from tracking satellites."

She continued to stare at the single door that stood out against the surrounding nature. She then turned her attention towards him. His eyes had gone completely black. At once, she let a blood curdling scream.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: Crossing Grant

Conan quickly explained so Sonya would stop her senseless screaming. "It's like a pair of built in sunglasses. Whenever I'm exposed to light that hurts my eyes, they become covered with a tented film for protection."

Sonya stopped shortly after his words left his mouth. He braced himself just in case she was getting ready to shout again, but it never came.

"You should've told me!" she said to him. "Then I would've been ready for it and you wouldn't have scared me to death."

At that exact moment three security guards poured out of the front door.

"Is everything ok? We heard a scream." An older guard asked. He had grey hair and one side of his mouth was slanted downward from a scar.

"Everything's…" Conan went to say, 'fine', but things were far from fine as Malachi appeared. His short black hair glistened in the sun along with the buttons upon his dark grey blouse that he wore so well with black pants. Though there was no tie, he was dressed extremely formal.

"There is no situation here is there?" His deep voice vibrated from his chest, sounding slightly annoyed and angry. Sonya's attention was held immediately by his seemingly one of-a-kind vocal cords. This couldn't be Conan's father. He didn't appear old enough.

Once more the knot had returned in her throat as his gaze met hers. He then glanced back at Conan with his equally pitch black eyes. Conan held the same expression on his countenance as a frightened dog with his tail tucked between his legs.

"Sorry for startling you," he managed.

Malachi looked away for a moment. Disappointment was written all over his face. "Everything is fine here. You may leave us now." he spoke, as his black eyes fell upon Sonya. In this case, his attention was on the only being he wanted to remain. The guards obeyed, leaving his sight. He then turned to Conan for a brief moment to clarify his self. The boy got the hint instantly.

Seeing Conan leave was like losing a best friend to Sonya. Furthermore, she felt awful, because it was as if he was in trouble. She didn't mean to scream, she had just been startled. Conan was funny and made her feel comfortable, but now she was going to be alone with Malachi who seemed cruel. Would he be as down to Earth as Conan? Or was he extremely harsh? He didn't seem so forgiving this far.

He held his arm out to her. "Walk with me." It was sudden and she reached for his arm hesitantly. She felt so much pressure in his silence, knowing that he was waiting for her to ask questions. But there were so many, her mind couldn't process all her crazy, hyperactive thoughts. Her mind was currently like a pinball machine.

" _So, you're genetically modified too?_ "

His lips tightened revealing his radiant smile and began to laugh lightly to himself. Out of all the things… "Yes, Alice."

"Alice?" she asked. That wasn't her name.

"Have you read Alice in Wonderland?" he asked her. She shook her head yes. It is a story about a 7 year old girl who falls down a rabbit hole into a land of fictional adventure. "Well, you remind me of her; except this isn't Wonderland and science fiction is your new reality." He watched as her face twisted with vexation. He went on, "I have technologies and medicines unknown to mankind, technologies and medicines that would cause pandemonium if ever made accessible to the public."

"Why are you telling me this?" she asked. If he had access to such things, the mansion was a target, and now so was she. Sonya stopped walking and released his arm. In the back of her mind lingered a growing sense of discomfort.

He made a slight grimace, "You're already here, my AB positive guest." He said with a rather pragmatic outlook, referring to her blood type. To think, he had given her medical attention without her consent. She wanted to sue him, but she knew she wouldn't get far. She peered at him with a slightly disgusted expression. He had tucked his hands behind his back and stood a towering six feet six. "Besides, I don't know what I would gain by lying to you, other than your distrust towards me. I would rather tell you the truth and perhaps erase it all later. And while I'm being frank with you, I find it insulting that you hold me in contempt after all of the procedures required to maintain your life! I am not a wasteful person, in fact I am quite resourceful. So, tell me, why were you in my cabin?"

She was overwhelmed by his haughty nature. He was very full of himself, pushy, and authoritative. "As I told Conan, it was just a coincidence," she said with the shrug of her shoulders. "I used it as a club house as a child and like going there when I'm sad."

"Sure," he said with the twitch of his left brow as if he were agitated with her. "How old are you anyway?" he asked.

"Sixteen, still in high school. Just a normal kid!" she explained.

He sighed in frustration and placed his hand against his forehead. "Do you remember anything about your attackers?"

"They wore all black with ski masks, but no real defining factors."

He stared at her for a long moment.

She nervously ran her fingers through her brown curly hair, which felt the same length as it did yesterday. Then she observed her hands, which the nails appeared to be the same length. She simply could not believe all of this. Sonya then took a moment to take in the sights around her. She was thankful that she was still alive and able to view such a lovely place as these mansion's grounds. Too bad she couldn't have been here on better terms.

She looked down at her shoeless feet. The grass felt wonderful between her toes. "The only real distinguishing detail I can remember was the pistol one of them used to hit me with. It had a symbol on the side of it. A red hour glass. That's all I really know."

"Fine, that's enough. Come on, I'll take you back in," he replied agitatedly and offered her his arm again.

"Look, I'm sorry I can't be more help," she apologized rejecting it.

"I'm sorry too," he replied. "You can never get to go back home."

"What?" she asked in slight panic.

"Like I said, Alice, this isn't Wonderland. You can cry like a child if you want to, but it won't change anything," he told her coldly, seeing the tears well in her eyes.

She stared back at him as if he were a heartless monster. Even Malachi had incredibly dark ringed, blue eyes as they stood in the shade. His maintained youthfulness must have been a product of his advanced technologies. She continued to study his face, every bit of his features. His nose had a slight bump to it just below the bridge. His features were sharp and precise to perfection with an angled jaw and high cheek bones.

She swiped tears from her eyes. "I've been kidnapped," she sobbed.

"No, you've been adopted. This is your new permanent residence and while you're under my roof, what I say goes. Understand, Alice?"

"My name is Sonya!" she told him with tears pouring over her cheeks. She'd never get to see her brother again. She stood frozen for a long while. Even after he had disappeared back into the mansion, she still stood in shell shock.

"Sonya," she felt Conan nudge her arm. She was too lost in thought to see where he had come from. "Are you okay?"

"No, Conan," she sobbed. "I'm not okay. This is not okay…"

He drew her into a hug. "I'm so sorry."

Malachi stood at the end of the table. His icy eyes had fallen upon Sonya and Conan. "It's a good sign to see you here," he smirked.

She simply kept her eyes on the table.

Seconds seemed to pass like hours. Her face was splotchy and her eyes were red. He could tell she had been crying. His eyes stayed locked on her until Fay had walked in through the double doors behind her.

"Good evening Fay."

Shortly after, another man walked around her to greet him. He was followed by a woman with long black hair.

"Grant, Bianca," he replied, "This is Alice," he gestured towards the girl.

"Sonya," she corrected him.

Grant ignored the introduction.

As for Bianca, she raised a stiff brow. "So we meet again…"

Sonya's face turned bright red.

"You could cut the tension in the air with a butter knife around here," Conan snickered, trying to make the awkward situation better.

"Definitely," she agreed.

It was very odd. As if Conan's calmness had been contagious. She sat down next to him and allowed her mind to find peace. "I hope you didn't get in too much trouble about what happened earlier," she whispered to Conan on that note.

He snickered once more. His spirit was uplifting. "Trouble? For what? He was just upset I scared you like that, but obviously it didn't corrupt you that much," he rolled his eyes. "I don't know about you, but I'm starving," he said. Sonya knew the feeling as the aroma of food from the kitchen wavered around the room. "Look, I'll do my best to make you feel at home," he assured her. "My dad may seem like a jerk, but I promise you're in good hands."

"Thanks Conan."

"I'm just being a friend."

She smiled, letting him know it was much appreciated. With the way Conan acted, she wondered if he character was a reflection of his father or not.

Finally everyone was seated. Malachi sat at the head of the table, Conan and Sonya to his left, Grant, Bianca, and Fay to his right. Sonya kept her head bowed sheepishly and whispered a question faintly to Conan, "Is Bianca Fay's mother?"

Everyone grew quiet at the table and she feared they had all overheard. Fay replied spitefully, "Oh no. She's just a paid prostitute." The table was ghostly quiet. "Oh, I'm sorry, was that too much?" Fay asked. "She doesn't get paid at all."

"And you can be excused from the table," Malachi told her, putting his hand against his forehead.

Later that night, the air had cooled and stars danced in the sky. He glanced at her. She sat in the grass, close to the steps, listening to his every word. "You noticed how Malachi and Grant never really spoke out loud?"

"Oh don't tell me they read minds," she frowned, finding that that was ridiculous and if they could she would be humiliated.

"Sonya," he chuckled, "No. We don't read minds. Everyone knows that's impossible. Instead we talk in tones only we can pick up because we have very sensitive ears. Like dog whistles…"

Sonya raised one brow at the young boy in front of her. "Were you all talking about me?"

"No. We're like any normal family, just arguing amongst ourselves." Conan shrugged and leaned back on the grass. He put his hands behind his head and inspected the stars. He could see much farther than her with his modified eyes. "Oh yeah," he said on an unrelated note. "Here is your room key, so you can lock your door at night if it makes you feel better." He handed her a necklace which had a plain metal square with the number four etched upon it. "There's a tiny magnet in it. If you hold it next to the button near your door, a red light will flash when its locked and a green light when you unlock it."

She took it carefully from his grasp and put it around her neck. The Cains slept in the lower level of the mansion. She wondered what their quarters looked like. She had gained so much knowledge today about her surroundings. She felt very relieved and extremely tired. Today had worn her out. In her room she noticed her closet had been stocked with more dresses. At least she had clothes to wear. There were towels in the cabinets now. Shampoos and soaps were under the sink as if she were at a hotel. There was even a packaged toothbrush, and some toothpaste, and a nightgown on the sink counter.

Though she had a gigantic bathtub; more like a hot tub, she took a quick shower instead. She almost fell asleep getting dressed. Her mind had gone when her head hit the pillow.

 _Sonya sat up. The cold black floor beneath her left her freezing. Where was she? She could see her breath in the icy cold air as she wrapped her arms around herself as she stood up. The room was completely black except for the light she stood in._

" _Get up! Follow him!"_

Sonya sat up in the safety of her bed. Her heart was racing and goose bumps ran up and down her spine. She quickly jumped out of bed and ran to the balcony doors to shut them. It prevented the cold night's breeze from entering her room. She sighed and climbed back into bed, but could not find rest. Her heart beat fast in her chest. Impulsively, she grabbed her robe off the rack and headed to the basement as if it were calling her name. At the end of the stairwell before the basement, she paused before continuing on. In the basement she felt a distinct drop in temperature. It had probably been there last time, but she had been too frightened to even speak then.

The basement was faintly lit and both men had their backs to her. She could see now what she had failed to the last time she was down there. It wasn't a basement at all, rather a laboratory. Odd machinery and technologies were spread about her with blinking lights and odd noises. Ducking behind a counter, she hoped to eavesdrop on their conversation. Grant's shadow passed over the wall behind her.

"What is it?" Malachi asked his brother.

Grant didn't reply, or maybe he did in his undetectable tones.

"You're testing my patience, Grant! You're already let this get out of control! This is your fault! FIX IT!" Malachi grabbed his brother by the front of his collar. His anger filled Sonya with fear.

She also felt frustrated, for she was only able to hear Malachi's half of the conversation. It was quiet for a long while. She sat holding her breath to calm her frantic heart, but that only made it beat harder. Could either of them hear it?

"Enough! She's just a child. No tracking devices! Nothing! I gave her a full body scan. All the tests came back negative," Malachi released him.

It was quiet again.

Sonya watched in horror as Grant began to walk back towards the stairwell. She had to move a little further behind the counter to avoid being seen, but unfortunately her robe had gotten caught on the handle of a drawer. It fell out with a loud crash of items, its contents dumped onto the floor.

His hands were already around her throat, hauling her off the floor with one hand. Where had he come from? How did he reach her so fast? He stared at her with cruel blue eyes that began to swirl with grey as if he had cataracts.

Sonya's face was turning bright red. Fear shook her as his malevolent glare pierced her thoughts. She understood very well what he was referring to and that she had fallen right into his trap.

"Put her down Grant." Malachi's voice was clear and full of authority.

He continued his glare. It was as if he was peering into her soul, making his mark in her mind. Just then Sonya realized she wasn't the one shaking. He was.

"Grant!" Malachi warned.

Finally he dropped her and stepped back with a look of disgust at the very sight of her, as if she were a wild animal with a disease, or maybe it was the sight of Malachi running to her side. In a fit of rage, he swept the back of his hand across the lab counter, spilling everything onto the floor.

Sonya coughed violently to catch her breath. Malachi observed her neck which red prints covered her skin, surely to bruise. "If you ever grab her like that again you'll have me to deal with." he looked up at Grant with fury in his eyes. "Do you understand?"


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: The Beast

Grant didn't reply to Malachi at first so he asked once more.

"Do you understand?"

Grant's look of disgust disappeared into an apathetic distasteful expression. Malachi left Sonya's side at once blocking the door until he was assured. He firmly placed a hand on Grant's left shoulder, letting him know he wasn't going to leave until he had his word and that he meant it. Sonya could only hope it had been toned, for Grant returned a cold stare at his brother. His crystalline false eyes, spoke to him. Malachi's hand dropped from his shoulder allowing for his leave.

"Are you okay?" Malachi's voice was filled with concern as he turned his attention towards her. She shook her head up and down with tear filled eyes. He slowly approached her side and leaned over before her. Although he extended great concern, by offering her his warm hand, she felt as if she had over stayed her welcome. Grant had scared her so unbelievably much, his image was still present behind her closed eyes. She felt she had to leave.

In her room she searched for some regular clothes, anything besides dresses which were quite overstocked in her opinion. Luckily, she quickly dressed into her black sweatshirt and her ripped pair of jeans which had been washed and repaired with patches and left folded on the top of a shelf in her closet. Being back in such clothing brought back unwelcome memories. Horrifying visions flashed in her mind of her attackers, while tears poured silently down her cheeks. She quickly shook her head from the thought, but it was imbedded there, burning at her heart. The room seemed to have grown warmer and she knew she had to get out as soon as possible. Her brother was the only person in this world that she held dearest to her. He was all she could think about as she ran from her room, down the corridor, and living room. Sonya ran full speed ahead to the chandelier lit front room, and stopped as she pressed the button next to the door. It was time for her to leave this place.

The night was cold and dark and her legs carried her as fast as they could. She dodged trees, ducked under low branches, and leapt over roots. Yet, as she went deeper and deeper into the woods, the moonlight decreased, providing little guidance, and her pace slowed quite a bit. She found herself tripping and running into low branches. With her heart pounding in her ears, she finally stopped for a moment to catch her breath. Her hands rested against her knees as she hunched over, breathing heavily through her nose and out of her mouth. The more she thought about how dark the sky was, the more she realized civilization was probably farther away than she expected. She looked back behind her and tried to see the light of the mansion as second thoughts began to make her stomach turn, but darkness filled her sight.

Surely all she had to do was simply walk back the way she came to return to the mansion, but unfortunately due to roots and obstacles, her path had been a rather convoluted one, lacking linear traits. Her heart began to beat hard in her chest again at the fact of being lost. She had nothing to eat, or drink, no light, no warmth. Hot tears began to flow down her cheeks. Furthermore, the longer she stood in silence, the more paranoia set in as she became aware of just how overpowering this dark forest was. With heightened senses, she became hyper aware of the direction of the wind, the sound of the leaves and branches, the smell of Earth, and even the newly formed perspiration on her palms.

Instead of going forward with her plan, she started backwards, trying to remember certain obstacles, but overcoming them in the opposite direction only made her feel as if they were unfamiliar. Carefully she felt her way around the forest, trying to hold in her tears so she could see. Instantly they were forgotten when the sound of a snapping tree branch echoed in the distance. It wasn't a small branch either. It echoed in her mind and left goose bumps all over her skin. She clutched a tree closest to her and began to wonder what wildlife roamed these lands, perhaps wolves? In that case, climbing a tree would be best? As she thought of this, climbing a tree would also help provide her a bird's eye view. The mansion in all its glorious height could surely be seen from the tree tops.

The tree that she currently clung to had one low hanging branch. The moon revealed at least six that were above it and easily accessible. With her delicate hands she began to scale the course bark. While she did so she could hear the branches creek and their foliage tremble. She climbed and climbed until she heard another loud snap echo into the night. It was closer now. She then questioned whether or not it was safe to proceed further upward. No matter what she had to at least get a glimpse of the mansion.

She stood frozen for a few more moments with her ears pricked in the silence. She then continued upward until the moon was barely blocked by leaves and the wind moved more freely across her cheeks. She moved her head about and strained her eyes across the treetops, hoping to see some geometric shape jutting out into the darkness, but couldn't see a thing. Just as she was about to give up she spotted two off white lights among the trees, moving in and out of sight. She then moved back down the tree, as a sea creature ducks its head back under water to see below. Just as she was about to jump off at a safe height, she stopped. The two lights had gotten closer and at first she thought it was an automobile. Such a thing could not get through this forest though. She wondered if they were flashlights, but the way they moved was far too ghostly. Her heart beat began to pick up and she moved back up the tree as far as she could and as quietly as she could, hoping the lights would pass or come close enough so she could render them nothing to be afraid of.

She tried to calm her frantic heart beat, but couldn't as the black mass with off white glowing eyes, snarled at the base of the tree. It was huge. The moon barely outlined the figure, making the wrinkles of its enormous snout visible. She screamed as it jumped to no avail at her, snapping its saber tooth-like jaws. She could feel the heat from his rotten breath and the steam roll from its mouth. The branches broke loudly, falling from the tree below her. It had stripped the tree naked on one side, breaking most of the limbs off. A loud thud shuttered the woods as the creature's enormous paws made contact with the Earth once more. She climbed more branches, but no distance was enough distance between her and the creature.

The beast snarled and made another leap into the air. It was shy of one branch that would've brought her to her demise. Her scream was blood curdling and she clung to the tree for dear life. If she climbed any further, the branches above would snap unable to hold her. The one beneath her was already showing signs of fatigue. She held her breath in the new silence, looking down into the dark woods. She could still hear the creature's loud breathing and see its glowing eyes. "No," she whispered, knowing whatever was beneath her was more intelligent than she wanted it to be.

Suddenly a hard thrust against the tree jolted her forward. Such a blow even pulsed through her body and sent the tree tumbling to the Earth. Before it reached the bottom it snagged on other trees, slowing the impact before it met the ground. Her lip busted hard against the trunk and she rolled away from it, coughing from the dirt which had plumed into the air.

The creature also seemed perturbed by it, sneezing once, twice, and then whining. Sonya got to her feet and began running as fast as her legs would carry her. The loud creature's paws pounded against the Earth thundering behind her, when suddenly something pierced her left ankle all the way through. She fell hard on her hands and she screamed once more. She was sure that she had broken her right wrist. Thinking a trap had been set, she reached to feel the weapon and remove it, but it continued to pierce her wound until it had coiled up her leg under her skin. Whatever it was then began to haul her off the Earth by about fifteen feet. She was upside down, screaming in agony and realized as the glowing eyes approached her that it was the tail of creature that had struck her. The creature then opened its mouth and a long snake-like tongue felt the skin of her cheeks, leaving them moist. For some odd reason the left side of her body had gone numb and quick. As the monster went to devour her, she threw dirt that she had picked up from her fall at its eyes and nose. The creature's snout wrinkled and his eyes closed. It began to heave as it involuntarily lowered her to the ground. It then dropped her five feet from Earth and sprayed moisture into the air with a loud, quick sneeze.

She lay upon the ground and tried to get up to run, but the whole left side of her body, including her leg had become numb. It tingled and felt as if it were sleeping. Just as the creature went for her once more a loud voice penetrated the woods before her. "Back you monstrosity!" Malachi shouted. Once he had become closer, he knelt before Sonya, Grant strode past her to his faithful beast. His blonde hair stuck out against the black woods.

Sonya watched as the creature bent its neck towards his master and licked his cheek with his long, slender tongue. Grant then got out his pocket knife, which glinted in the moonlight, and cut a small incision on the palm of his hand. His crimson blood trickled through his fingers and down his wrist. The beast consumed the small palm full of blood with joy and pleasure through his straw like tongue until it was all gone, the way butterflies drank nectar through their proboscis. He proceeded to whimper at Grant, who refused him anymore of his glorious treat. He kissed the tip of his wet nose and then shoved him back off into the woods. The monster complied and vanished at once, whimpering a sad song of desolation on his way.

It was about that time when Sonya began to seize from the neurotoxins. Her body jolted and twitched in awful spasms. The poison had traveled from her ankle to her brain in such a short amount of time. "Grant, throw me the knife!" Malachi demanded. The poor girl was in his grasp now, unable to breath, and barely hanging onto life.

Grant ignored his brother having nothing to do with the young woman and moved back towards the mansion in spite of her. Malachi swelled with such unimaginable anger, that he lost his composure for a moment. "When I get back you better be gone and it better be fixing your mistake!" he warned with grey eyes and a deep toned voice.

Malachi then turned back to the situation at hand and patted the front of his pockets and back pockets. He carried no such things as weapons purposefully meant for drawing crimson from his veins. With no other option and time running out, he pulled up her pant leg to reveal the place where the creature had struck her with its tail. It was such an awful sight, for black venom had the appearance of tar and clotted her blood around the wound. Thinking on his feet, he bit his lip as hard as he could. He wiped away four drops of blood with each of his fingers, his index, middle, ring, and pinky. He smeared two on the entry side of the wound and one on the exit side. With the last drop he smeared across her busted lip. He feared this would not be enough as he sat waiting for any signs of healing. If only he had some way to drain more, for mere drops would not help. She had stopped her convulsing, but now she lay still. Her eyes were open, but they were not blinking.

His eyes darted around the ground which was littered with debris from the fallen tree. The first piece of shattered wood he grabbed was not strong enough to break the skin of his palm, instead it broke in half. The second piece he grabbed wasn't as flimsy and it was spiked at one end. Instead of piercing his skin directly, he swiped it across the top of his hand where his skin was thinner and larger veins were at the surface. He then gave his wrist a firm squeeze with his palms turned upward. As it tricked slowly downward, a difference was being made. The wound was finally starting to heal to his relief. It had almost been too late.

In a poorly lit room, four men sat on metal folding chairs, one in ropes, tattered clothing, and a dirty pair of shoes, the other three in black apparel and ski masks.

"So, how is it that your sister knew where the safe was?" asked one of the men. He stood from the table and came to press a pistol against Keith's temple.

"Please don't kill me," he pleaded for his life, tears pouring down his cheeks.

"Tell us!" the man shouted, pulling the trigger. It clicked empty. Keith yelled with a flinch.

He sobbed for a moment and caught his breath so he could speak. "When she was three she was hit by a car. She received an operation from a doctor named Eric Stone. She wasn't all there after that. I thought it was the accident, but I don't know,"

"Doctor Eric Stone?" The man looked back at his two companions.

In the dirty garage a man in muddy jeans and a grey t-shirt stood. He had sweat marks on the front of his shirt and under his arms. Sweat coated his face too. He wore protective goggles and was straining his ears with the drill in his shaking hand. The relatively small safe, about one foot by one foot in size, sat heavy on top of a table as he prepared to penetrate its secret interior. It was a messy safe, covered in muck from having been excavated from under the cabin after years of being there. The drill had a powerful large tip that once it went through, was sure to allow a big enough hole one could fit his entire hand through.

Finally the man started the glistening diamond coated drill in his thick gloved hands with the press of a button that looked like a trigger, and began to cut through the safe. The first layer was the steel shell, then came the hard plate barrier, followed by the second steel shell. Luckily for him, this was a simple safe, non-electronic, and old. Technology today made the art of safecracking extremely difficult, but obviously the Cain's had failed to upgrade their security. It made him wonder if they had simply forgotten about it.

Suddenly the drill stopped and a loud crack filled the silent garage. "What was that?" asked Mr. Valencia. He had black curly hair and olive skin.

"I've hit the locking mechanism," he told him as he removed the drill and put his glasses on. With a flashlight he shined the light into the aperture and viewed the situation. It was a mess of metal on the inside and he whistled loudly. "This was fancy back then, but not anymore." He smiled and picked up his drill off the table once more. He went back to work at once and very slowly the drill worked its way through the mess at a pace that made the safecracker sweat even more. Suddenly the drill went from slow pace to full power once it was free of friction and a thick red substance sprayed all over the safecracker. The drill fell from his hands at once to the floor and he stood back with a shriek. "What the Hell is that?!" he yelled. The substance covered his face and some of it had actually gone into his mouth. The strong taste of iron coated his mouth and the two men near the door looked completely confused for the safecracker was unscathed.

Once the man had calmed down enough from his scare, he went back to the safe and stuck his black gloved hand in the hole to undo the lock that he had broken. This allowed him to open the safe from the inside out.

Mr. Valencia stepped forth and the safecracker stepped aside, wiping the sweat and red liquid from his forehead. His light brown hair was dripping wet with it. The other man neared the safe to get a better look. Slowly the man pulled back the handle, very slowly. He could hear the contents shifting inside and knew that something was bound to fall out. Once he had secured the contents with his left hand he pulled back the door to reveal the safe's contents.

On the top shelf were extremely thick glass cylinders of red liquid. There had once been two, but the second had been destroyed by the drill. It was shattered and broken.

"Where are the documents? What about the research?" The safecracker asked.

On the second shelf was a five inch by five inch box. Mr. Valencia took it out and peered inside. Between dividers were samples of hair incased in small, flat glass containers. One had two strands of golden hair. The other had two strands of black hair.

"These are the documents. This is Eric Stone's research. Unfortunately, simply having DNA samples isn't going to be enough." he frowned. Even though technology had advanced so much, simple human intellect had its limits. They needed the correct machinery to be able to duplicate a Cain and figure out the complicated anatomy. "You see, wherever they are, they have lab equipment beyond our wildest imaginations. That is why we need to find their location and fast, before their technology is destroyed.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4: The Encounter

In the back left seat of a Black Bentley Arnage Grant sat beside Bianca. They often traveled during the night so her inspections of him were often in the vehicle's dash lights. His near platinum hair appeared red in the dim lighting and it was hard to look past. His high cheek bones were prominent. His eyes were darkly shaded and cavern-like, with icy irises like hidden jewels within. Currently they appeared purple with the dim red light mixing with the blue pigment. His jaw line was sharp and his laryngecular prominence furthered his perfected features. His nose had a slight masculine curve to it just below the bridge and his lips appeared soft. "Now days, we leave so often. Are you sure this is safe?" She asked him in a soft voice. She was almost asleep from the silence which usually surrounded his character when he was in deep thought. He rubbed her upper thigh with a smile and winked at her, his way of saying yes.

Once they reached the wonderfully lit hotel, Grant and Bianca moved from the car. He got their suitcase and pulled out a pair of sunglasses from the front zipper to hide his genetically modified genotype. He then lengthened the handle so that a man dressed in a tuxedo and white gloves could roll it to their room. A valet offered to park their car, but their driver insisted.

The suite seemed a bit excessive, equipped with both a kitchen and a living room, but it felt wonderful. Bianca waited until after the door was shut to run through the living room and dive onto the bed. Her spirit was light on this night, enjoying the finer things in life.

He followed after her with a smile, pulled the glasses from his face, and tossed them on a black leather recliner next to the bed. Feeling his eyes upon her, she turned with red cheeks embarrassed at her outburst. He didn't look as amused as she was. "Are we here on our own accord or are you on business?" she asked softly, so quietly as not to hurt his ears.

He laughed gently and she knew it meant business. He then came to the foot of the bed and tugged on her hand to make her follow him to the bathroom. Living a shut in life affected her deeply and she was happy to leave the Cain grounds even if it was on the account of business. She met him in front of the counter with her bag of makeup which he had gotten from the suitcase. He set it on the sink and it was crazy how most of it was for him. First he put in brown contacts then Bianca helped him put a thick pale concealer around his eyes to cover up the blackness. They stood looking at themselves in the mirror. While he had gotten rid of the blackness around his eyes, she had put mascara and eye liner around her own. She then walked back into their room and changed into a sparkly champagne colored dress. To finish, she pulled the hair tie out of her long black hair and put on a matching pair of heals.

The dining area was enormous. All the walls were made of glass, some of which had been slid open. This allowed the tables and guest to pour out onto the marble lounge area beneath the starry night. Music was playing on the stage beneath a chandelier. Its light reflected off Bianca's dress. Grant's hand was firm against her waist. As he looked around with his perfect sight, Bianca peered at him. His ears were small, shaped perfectly with attached earlobes. Within them were barely noticeable, skin colored ear plugs, which he had put in before they left.

"Grant," She whispered quietly among all the music, laugher, and conversation. She had spoke so softly that not even she had heard her own voice and wondered if she had really said anything at all.

He turned his attention towards her, rubbing her side, feeling the sequence on her champagne colored, thigh-high dress with his finger tips.

"I'm going to the ladies room." Bianca slipped away from him, she could feel his eyes upon her. Once she was out of his sight within the ladies room she stood in front of the mirror and peered at herself. Perhaps she had worn a bit too much makeup or her flat ironed hair lay too perfectly, but she did feel pretty. Her lips were red and she smelt of a feminine fragrance. The more she pondered about this momentary sense of confidence, the more she realized it wasn't the illusions at all.

It was her natural entity beneath it all to which she had the option of applying illusion, a profound freedom of exterior self improvement, a display of humanly expression and womanly exertion. She fake smiled her straight white teeth, a product of simple alignment which was nothing unique, yet made a lasting impression. She then swept a strand of her long black hair behind her ear. Yes, she was natural, flawed, yet human!

As for Grant, everything about him was artificial. Everything from his eyes, to height both vertically and horizontally, his jaw, his nose. He was even ribbed in more ways than one. Did it conflict him to know just how fake he was? Did he see himself as a product, a science experiment? Furthermore, she wondered about his character, his personality, his soul, was that all manufactured as well? She stopped her thoughts at once on that note, feeling a stinging sensation in her watering eyes. She had to believe that beneath his exterior, there was truth, there was a genuine entity which could not be duplicated.

Once she was back in the lobby, a firm hand found its place against her hip. Had it been a stranger, the individual wouldn't have gotten past the tips. He then dragged her into the crowd of dancing people, a swaying mass of life. The music was classical slow and he held her close against his chest.

As they looked into each other's eyes with matching brown irises, she felt slightly unable to breathe in his overwhelming presence. She rested her head against his chest to avoid his stare. He was simply too much. His breath was warm against her neck. He proceeded to clamp his teeth against her ear lobe, caressing her skin with his tongue.

Suddenly his smile faded and his attention became elsewhere. "What?" She asked, glancing behind her where his eyes fell. A horseshoe shaped black table sat three men and women sharing champagne with laugher. Grant pulled her chin back to face him. The roughness in which he had tugged brought tears to her eyes.

"Trent," A voice sounded behind Bianca. A man now appeared through the crowd until he was at arm's length to shake his hand. "Won't you come and sit with us?"

Bianca kept her watery eyes on Grant's face which stared straight forward. She saw him bite his lip and saw the moment's hesitation. He wanted her to see this, which meant trouble. Somehow it always found them. They moved over the dance floor to the table where they sat crammed together. Bianca was between Grant and the older gentleman who had come to retrieve them. She had her left leg crossed over her right with her left foot comfortably rested on Grant's shiny black shoe. His arm was wrapped around her with his hand on her shoulder; the other was on her upper thigh. The sleeves of his black button-up had been rolled up to his elbows now.

Introductions transpired then transpired. The older gentleman was the owner of the hotel's younger brother. The three younger men and women were friends of his. "Trent, we really do appreciate your business." Andrew smiled. He had grey hair and wore a silver suit. At this statement Grant smirked. "What is your occupation?"

Grant looked at Bianca and she spoke for him, "He's a retired physician, ever since he became mute."

 _The blonde woman across the table began tapping on the table._

"I'm sorry to hear that, may I ask what happened?" one of the younger men inquired.

"Vocal cord paresis," Bianca replied. None of what she was saying was far from the truth, but she couldn't explain it in its entirety. Grant had spoke with his brother his whole life primarily using their undetectable tones rather than audible sound. It had stunted the development of his vocal cords and it was alarming to think that even their means for speaking and hearing had been genetically altered.

"Has he considered surgery or speech zerapy?" asked the blonde in a heavy German accent.

"Yes," she lied. In honesty, Grant didn't find many others worth communicating with, except for his own kind, and on rare occasions with her. Perhaps he was full of himself, proud of his DNA? Even as they spoke, his attention was elsewhere.

A waiter then came and began to pour each of them some Champagne. Grant's smile had faded at once after he had taken his first drink. Bianca had also sipped from the glass.

The waiter smiled at her and walked away.

"Well men, how about a smoke?" Another offered, pulling a pack of cigars from his black vest pocket. All of the men rose to their feet. It had been so sudden and Bianca didn't look happy to be ditched. Grant leaned down to whisper in her ear a moment, playing it off as a kiss on the cheek. His voice was a soft and hoarse, fading in and out, _"You've been drugged. An ounce in the mini bar…"_

She nodded her head up and down, wondering when he had found the time to leave her such a thing. "Go smoke, they're leaving you." He turned and began to follow after them. Bianca felt the eyes of the three women upon her now.

"Look at zem. Zey act like Zey're going to discuss ze fate of ze vorld." the blonde said as she tilted her head back with laugher.

"Who knows what they would do without us," Another raised her glass and the three women enjoyed their champagne as they scrutinized Bianca.

"So, vat iz he like?" the blonde asked.

Bianca thought for a long moment, feeling as if words could not fully describe him. "Quiet, yet compelling."

"I meant in bed," the blonde broke into laugher again.

Bianca's face reddened. She knew he was still in ear's shot. Without any further words she stood from the table and decided it was best to go back to their room.

"Are you not feeling vell?" the blonde questioned after her.

"No," Bianca admitted. Stomach pains were starting to kick in.

Grant stood with the cigar in his hand. He felt as if he was going to throw up. His genetically modified body was rejecting the champagne from earlier. His glass had been laced with chemicals including the cigar he was currently smoking. If not for his super natural body, he would be dead. Luckily his kidneys and blood were extremely strong filters in their own right.

The men stood before him, looking at him incredulously. He finished his cigar with a shrug. The thick smoke billowed from his mouth and nostrils like spider silk into the air. The lighting from the hotel threw smoke shadows across his face. He then threw the foot of the cigar on the ground, and stepped on it. A smile began to creep across his face as if to rub salt on the wound.

"Shoot him! He's the antichrist!" one of them yelled. The men pulled pistols from their pockets and opened fire upon him. After they had emptied their magazines, they stood in shock that the man was still standing. Horror quickly followed, as the bullets expelled through the holes which they had entered and fell to the ground in a metallic sounding hail storm. With the entry wounds still smoking, Grant's shoulders bobbed with laugher as he looked down at the ground. The bullets rolled away from him over the concrete and his flesh began to heal back together.

Back in the hotel room, Bianca sat with the towel around her body. Her hair was wet down her back and she starred at her the syringe full of blood which Grant had left her in the mini bar. After using even just a small amount, a tingling sensation filled her body and she felt light headed. It was like a momentary high and it made her want more, especially after seeing the injection sight heal instantly. As if her body had been filled with contrast, she felt a warm sensation flood over her. A single drop was as potent a drug as meth and pleasurable as ecstasy. Her chest rose and fell and she collapsed back on the bed. The feelings of mania began to set in and she had been cured of her poisoning.

Grant walked carelessly through the hotel's hallways until he finally came across the room number the blonde had tapped against the table in Morse code. After killing the woman's partner, he had swiped the man's key from his jacket. He then pushed it into the door and carefully opened it. Grant stood still with his mouth shut as the woman rose to her feet in the dim light. She wore extremely tall black heals and red lingerie. He lightly swung the door shut behind his self and stepped closer to her.

"I knew zere was somesing special about you." she smiled. Her eyes were heavy with black makeup. "Please tell me, you did kill zem." She placed a hand on her hip with her red smile still in tack. Her blonde curly hair rested on her shoulders. He was quiet, keeping his eyes forward. "Oh? A mystery man?" she laughed lightly at his lack of response, inspecting his ripped, holey black shirt. Her heals clicked against the floor. Although she had extremely tall heals on, his six foot six stature was still taller than her petite frame. Her hips swung gently controlled from side to side. When she reached him she felt for his belt buckle. Her eyes remained intent on his, but he refused to look at her, looking beyond her instead.

With his pants loosened, she unbuttoned tattered shirt and kissed his chest. In the transition from her feet to her knees, the sound of a silenced pistol rang out. The woman fell to the floor, dead, and Bianca lowered the gun to her side.

A smile crept across his face and he followed her out. He buttoned his shirt, fixed his tie and collar, as well as his pants as they walked. Once they made it back to their room, they gathered their things, which had been left packed. "Did you message him to meet us in the ally?" Bianca asked. Grant nodded once. With haste, they made a dash for the fire exit. It was a long spiral staircase opposite the elevator shaft. Once they made it to the ally, the car rippled into sight. It had been cloaked, parked right before them. Grant threw their things in the back of the vehicle and got in beside Bianca.

Bianca sat beside him in the back seat, skimming through her camera all the evidence she had collected. "The owner of the hotel, Jim, he's a drug lord. Looks like you pissed him off selling in his turf."

Grant shrugged his shoulders.

"And, the woman he was with apparently goes by the name, Ms. Hearse. She's working for an independent group lead by a man named Price Valencia." Although it was dark in the car, Grant spoke with her using sign language. He brought his fists together at the knuckles and made a circular motion.

"What makes you think they are working together?" Bianca asked. "She wanted the men she was working with dead."

He drew his hand into a fist with his pinky and thumb extended, _me too,_ he signed with a smile. Bianca leaned forward and pressed her lips against his.

A/N: Thank you for reading this far. ! I'd very much appreciate some feedback or reviews to help with the direction of this story! I really do enjoy writing it and I hope you like it as well!


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